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Akapusi Qera prepares for his club debut, but is his World Cup push in vain
Akapusi Qera had a year left on his Agen contract, when he and the French club decided to part ways last June. He played just fourteen Top 14 games, seven of which were from the bench. He’s 34-years-old now and was superseded by young, up-and-coming backrows at Agen.
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He subsequently struggled to find a new club as he sought to continue representing Fiji and target a fourth World Cup. Now he has been forced to drop down to the second tier of English rugby to get a game, to Hartpury RFC, a club which is second-from-bottom in the Green King IPA Championship table, with just two wins all season, who generate an average gate of less than 1,000 people at the Gillman’s Ground.
He’s been training with the club for a number of weeks, one of his major stumbling blocks to getting back on the pitch sooner was locking down the requisite visas, an issue which was finally resolved this week so he can line up in the Championship Cup fixture against Bedford Blues on Saturday.
His new team only came into existence in 2004. Their aim is predominantly to nurture players who are studying at Hartpury College. It has been somewhat of a feeder club for Gloucester Rugby over the years – the Gallagher Premiership club train adjacent to Hartpury RFC’s main pitch – alumni include Ross Moriarty, Charlie Sharples, Billy Burns and Lewis Ludlow. Other players who studied at Hartpury include Leicester duo Jonny May and Ellis Genge, Exeter Chiefs winger Alex Cuthbert and Wasps scrum half Dan Robson.
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Those links between Gloucester and Hartpury proved to be invaluable for Qera when he sought pastures new. He certainly has iconic status in the West Country, having been a Premiership Player of the Year nominee in 2007/08, while Cherry and Whites fans voted him as Gloucester’s Player of the Season in 2009-10.
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But those heady days are now gone, he may have been labelled “the biggest signing in the relatively short history of Hartpury RFC”, but he’s not the player he once was, who also graced other top clubs such as Toulouse and Montpellier. John McKee understandably left him out of Fiji’s squad for the November internationals – Japan 2019 never looked as far away for clubless Qera. That was emphasised as the new breed claimed the historic scalp of France in Paris.
Playing in the second tier in England is not necessarily a barrier to getting into international reckoning, as illustrated by Cornish Pirates hooker Sam Matavesi, London Irish prop Manasa Saulo and Doncaster’s Henry Seniloli who played a prominent roles during the Autumn.
There is no doubt Qera would bring experience – three World Cup’s, the last as captain, and ball-carrying ability, but he’ll be 35 by the time Fiji line up for their World Cup opener against Australia in Sapporo next September. Qera is certainly not out of the picture, he featured in the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup last June, captaining the side.
But Fiji aren’t exactly short of backrows, such as the imposing 6 foot 5.5 inch 18-stone wrecking ball Viliame Mata, a Sevens Gold medallist currently holding the 8 jersey. 25-year-old Clermont flanker Peceli Yato is a Top 14 winner, not to mention Newcastle’s Nemani Nagusa and Dominiko Waqaniburotu, who both have plenty of miles on the clock. Domestically they have the likes of Fijian Drua captain Mosese Voka, whose leadership skills are illustrated by the fact he’s also led the Fiji Warriors, or Albert Tuisue, who used to work for the Fijian police – and is another on the Fijian Drua books.
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Write off Qera at your peril, but he has his work cut out.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Will rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
2 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
2 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
3 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
28 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
2 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
1 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
28 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
2 Go to commentsCant get more Wellington than Proctor.
3 Go to comments